rockin500
02-18-2003, 03:56 PM
MESA, Ariz. -- Mark Prior has known Tom House since he was 16 years old, so it's no surprise the Chicago Cubs pitcher would spend some time this offseason with the former Major League pitching coach.
"We play golf more than we work out," Prior said about his relationship with House, who tutored Nolan Ryan.
But what made their recent visit interesting was that Prior worked out with House along with Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson. Yes, that Randy Johnson.
"It was helpful for me not so much the mechanics but just about baseball," Prior said. "It was nice to tap into that experience. I got a lot out of seeing how a guy like that goes about his business. He's won five Cy Youngs and he's still trying to get better."
Imagine being a 22-year-old who wants to be a successful Major League pitcher -- which Prior is -- and having the chance to pick the brain of one of the game's best. It was one of the highlights of a busy offseason for the Cubs pitcher, now entering his second season.
Besides maintaining his rigorous conditioning program, Prior attended USC and took two classes - operations management and strategy analysis management -- as he tries to finish his business marketing degree. He got an "A" and a "B." Not bad.
The Cubs 2001 No. 1 draft pick got nothing but top-notch grades after his rookie season. Prior made the jump from Double-A to Triple-A to the big leagues in 2002, going 6-6 with a 3.32 ERA in 19 starts for the Cubs. The year ended early because of a strained hamstring suffered while running the bases.
"I would've liked to have done a little better, but I can't complain," he said about his rookie year. "I had a good amount of innings last year and 19 starts in the bigs, I don't think anyone can complain for the first year. It's disappointing the way it ended, but that's the way it happened, and I've moved on from there, and I'm ready to go this year."
He struck out 147 over 116 2/3 innings in the Major Leagues, an impressive start. But he has set his sights higher in 2003. Will he be disappointed if he doesn't total 200 innings this year?
"Definitely," he said. "My goal is to have 30 starts and throw 200 innings and stay healthy. That's my goal. It's not to win so many games or strike out so many guys.
"My goal is to go out and give this team seven innings, eight innings a start and give them a chance to win the ballgame," he said. "Hopefully, by the end of the season, I can look back and have 30-plus starts and right around 200-plus innings."
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"My goal is to have 30 starts and throw 200 innings and stay healthy. That's my goal. It's not to win so many games or strike out so many guys."
-- Mark Prior
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He learned a lot in his first season, and will take that knowledge and apply it toward this year. For example, being on the road takes its toll.
"Looking back, you think you're ready to handle the travel aspect of the game, but you're really not until you go through it," he said. "It's those kind of adjustments and then adjustments maybe when I feel fatigued during a start and knowing how to back off between starts so my body can recover. It's those kind of experience things.
"I did a little more conditioning (this offseason) as far as running and stuff like that but I'll mainly be fine-tuning my workout regimen during the year," he said.
Prior won't be able to sneak up on anybody this year. The right-hander is ready.
"My game, the way I pitch is the way I pitch," he said. "If I have to make minor adjustments, that's fine, but I'm not going to change my overall philosophy or anything like that. (Opponents) have seen Kerry Wood a fair amount of time or Randy Johnson, and they don't change.
"They have the experience of seeing me, but I have the experience of seeing them, too," he said. "I'm just going to go out there and pitch. The Astros saw me five times, and I had good games and I had bad games against them, so it's hit or miss."
For the record, he was 1-2 in five starts against Houston.
Prior has some additional responsibilities this year, too. He is the Cubs player representative, taking over for Joe Girardi, who is now with St. Louis.
"I think it was Girardi's joke on the way out," Prior said. "I think Joe said, 'OK, Mark, have fun.' That was basically it. What was I supposed to say? I guess I got the short end. Don't expect anything too serious out of me. I hope there aren't any heavy issues for five years."
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/chc/news/chc_news.jsp?ymd=20030217&content_id=201206&vkey=spt2003news&fext=.jsp
"We play golf more than we work out," Prior said about his relationship with House, who tutored Nolan Ryan.
But what made their recent visit interesting was that Prior worked out with House along with Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson. Yes, that Randy Johnson.
"It was helpful for me not so much the mechanics but just about baseball," Prior said. "It was nice to tap into that experience. I got a lot out of seeing how a guy like that goes about his business. He's won five Cy Youngs and he's still trying to get better."
Imagine being a 22-year-old who wants to be a successful Major League pitcher -- which Prior is -- and having the chance to pick the brain of one of the game's best. It was one of the highlights of a busy offseason for the Cubs pitcher, now entering his second season.
Besides maintaining his rigorous conditioning program, Prior attended USC and took two classes - operations management and strategy analysis management -- as he tries to finish his business marketing degree. He got an "A" and a "B." Not bad.
The Cubs 2001 No. 1 draft pick got nothing but top-notch grades after his rookie season. Prior made the jump from Double-A to Triple-A to the big leagues in 2002, going 6-6 with a 3.32 ERA in 19 starts for the Cubs. The year ended early because of a strained hamstring suffered while running the bases.
"I would've liked to have done a little better, but I can't complain," he said about his rookie year. "I had a good amount of innings last year and 19 starts in the bigs, I don't think anyone can complain for the first year. It's disappointing the way it ended, but that's the way it happened, and I've moved on from there, and I'm ready to go this year."
He struck out 147 over 116 2/3 innings in the Major Leagues, an impressive start. But he has set his sights higher in 2003. Will he be disappointed if he doesn't total 200 innings this year?
"Definitely," he said. "My goal is to have 30 starts and throw 200 innings and stay healthy. That's my goal. It's not to win so many games or strike out so many guys.
"My goal is to go out and give this team seven innings, eight innings a start and give them a chance to win the ballgame," he said. "Hopefully, by the end of the season, I can look back and have 30-plus starts and right around 200-plus innings."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My goal is to have 30 starts and throw 200 innings and stay healthy. That's my goal. It's not to win so many games or strike out so many guys."
-- Mark Prior
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He learned a lot in his first season, and will take that knowledge and apply it toward this year. For example, being on the road takes its toll.
"Looking back, you think you're ready to handle the travel aspect of the game, but you're really not until you go through it," he said. "It's those kind of adjustments and then adjustments maybe when I feel fatigued during a start and knowing how to back off between starts so my body can recover. It's those kind of experience things.
"I did a little more conditioning (this offseason) as far as running and stuff like that but I'll mainly be fine-tuning my workout regimen during the year," he said.
Prior won't be able to sneak up on anybody this year. The right-hander is ready.
"My game, the way I pitch is the way I pitch," he said. "If I have to make minor adjustments, that's fine, but I'm not going to change my overall philosophy or anything like that. (Opponents) have seen Kerry Wood a fair amount of time or Randy Johnson, and they don't change.
"They have the experience of seeing me, but I have the experience of seeing them, too," he said. "I'm just going to go out there and pitch. The Astros saw me five times, and I had good games and I had bad games against them, so it's hit or miss."
For the record, he was 1-2 in five starts against Houston.
Prior has some additional responsibilities this year, too. He is the Cubs player representative, taking over for Joe Girardi, who is now with St. Louis.
"I think it was Girardi's joke on the way out," Prior said. "I think Joe said, 'OK, Mark, have fun.' That was basically it. What was I supposed to say? I guess I got the short end. Don't expect anything too serious out of me. I hope there aren't any heavy issues for five years."
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/chc/news/chc_news.jsp?ymd=20030217&content_id=201206&vkey=spt2003news&fext=.jsp